Improvement in telegraphs



WILLIAM B. GUERNSEY.

Improvement ih Printing-Telegraphs.

No.126,290. PatehtedApril30fl72.

W w v G a i O Z a 1 T I i W! NESSES- NVENT I WWW 7 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BQGUERNSEY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN TELEGRAPHS- Specification forming part of Letters PatentNo. 126,290, dated April 30, 1872.

Specification of an Improved Electric Telegraph, invented by WILLIAM B.GUERNSEY, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, New Jersey.

As shown in diagrams, this is a visual and chemical printing-telegraph;but it can be adapted for a mechanical printing-telegraph as well. It isrepresented as designed for use between two oflices or stations only.Each instrument is propelled by clock-work, made to run so nearsynchronously as to allow of one full revolution of the type-wheelswithout error greater than one of its subdivisions, (teeth) The furthersynchronism is insured by the action of the unison stop describedfurther on. The main or line battery is equally divided between the twostations, and serves when required for a local, also. When the line isnot in use the two sections of the battery are left with their similarpoles turned toward each other, thus preventing action. Thepole-changing switches S enable either operator to efi'ect this, as alsoto bring opposite poles into the same direction whenever the line is tobe used. The type-wheel T is affixed to a shaft, U, which has alsoaflixed to it four wheels or drums, l 2 3 4, serving, in connection withthe series of springs shown, as contact-breakers and pole-changers; anda fifth wheel or drum, u, acting as contact-maker in connection with thekey, as described further on. 1 and 2 have complete metallic surfaces,except the narrow non-conducting strips a a. 3 and 4 have non-conductingsurfaces, except the narrow metal strips b b. These strips are in linewith each other end, and the bearing-surfaces of the springs are all inline with each other, or are so arranged that a and a shall breakcontact before and after b and b shall have made it. Attached to thetypewheel T, and moving with it, is another wheel, (in realityconstituting a part of type-wheel, and it will be so spoken of in thisdescription.) The periphery of this supplemental wheel is divided intoteeth or cogs, a few of them being cut away, leaving a spaceconstituting an are equal to a a. The number of teeth left is to equalthe number-of letters or characters which are to be transmitted. Thetype-wheel carries, also, upon a wheelslaterally affixed to it, as thecog-wheel is, and upon the opposite side, a projection or tooth, t,which engages at each revolution with a projection, I, from the armatureL of the magnet M, (the said magnet being always open upon the arrivalof such projection.) The position of the two projections is such thatthey will engage or come in contact at the precise moment that contactbetween the springs 9 10 and 11 12 is made by b b. A hooked lever, h,rigidly attached to the armature aforesaid, will, whenever the saidmagnet is closed, engage with one of the teeth of the cog-wheel T,except that the position of the smooth part of the periphery is suchthat while, and so long as contact between the springs 5 6 and 7 8 isbroken by a a, the hooked lever It would impinge upon such smoothportion instead of engaging with a tooth, as aforesaid. The noticeableeffects of this arrangement are, first, so long as the main or linecircuit is on, (i. 6., when the pole-changing switches are so turned asto bring the two sections of the battery into co-operating action,) butopen, (at the key of one of the instru1nents,) the type-wheels T willrevolve, and that with a synchronism perfected at one point in eachrevolution, for whichever projection t of the type-wheels first reachesthe point of engagement with the armature projection l is thereby caughtand retained until the similar projection of the other type-wheel alsomakes contact with its armature; for, if one type-wheel be at unison(point of engagement) and the other not, no circuit can be had throughthe line, and so the magnet must remain open and the leading type-wheelbe delayed; but when both type-wheels have arrived at unison there willbe established a circuit in a contrary direction to the line-circuit,which contrary circuit I call the unisoncircuit. The passage of thecurrent through this circuit will, of course, close both magnets, and sorelease both type-wheels, to be again, each by its own clock-work,propelled another revolution. Second, the closing of the magnet, whichreleases the type -wheel when at unison, will stop it if happening atany other point of its revolution. This is effected by the action of thehooked lever h upon the teeth of thetype-wheel T, so that if theline-circuit be closed by depression of the key at any time when thewheels are revolving and are not at unison, they will both be stopped soas to indicate the same letter or character, and will remain stoppeduntil the circuit is again broken at the key.

Figures 1 and 2 are plans of telegraph instruments, supposed to be atdifl'erent ends of the line. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of saidinstruments. Fig. 4 is a section on the line :0, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is asection at 3 Fig. 3, showing my improved key in side elevation. 9represents the ground-wire; m l, the line-wire.

A B represent clock-movements, which may be used to rotate the shaft Uand perform the local mechanical operations, such as propeller of thepaper if the apparatus be employed to print. I show, at V, a key which Ihave devised for the transmission of signals, to be used with this orany other power-propelled type-wheel telegraph. The switch '0 is thesame as used in the Morse key for breaking the line-circuit whilewriting. The key itself is used somewhat as the Morse key is, andresembles it, except that it bears upon its under surface the armatureof a small electromagnet, W. When the line is on, and the type-wheelconsequently revolving, contactsprings 13 14 upon the drum u make andbreak a local circuit through the magnet W at the passage of eachletter. If not held open the key (with the line on and one key-switch isofl') will act automatically, stopping the type-wheel at everycharacter. If held, it will communicate to the hand a slight impulse ortremor at the passage of each letter, and the operator is not only aidedby this addition of the sense of touch to eye and ear, but, in reality,has nothing to do but to let go of the key just after the passage of theimpulse imparted by the character next preceding the one he desires toindicate, and the key will descend of itself, make the contact requisiteto produce the signal, and return to his hand, leaving the type-wheelfree, as before. The speed with which writing can be done is very muchincreased by the use of this key; but the Morse key, or any arrangementfor completing the circuit at will, can be used with this telegraph.

The diagrams show plainly the directions of the currents, main andlocal, as affected by the automatic key. The line-currents arerepreisented by full lines and the local by dotted mes.

In this telegraph the linebattery has nothing to do but to stoptype-wheel and to pro pel the paper, if used. The rotation and theprinting, ifmechanical, are done bylocal power, clock-work, for example.As a local each section of battery has only to actuate the automatickey, if used, and to effect the chemical printing of the characters. Itwill be noticed that at each stoppage of the type-wheels for whateverpurpose exact synchronism will be restored if there be at the time noerror greater than the length of a tooth or letter. In the chemicalprinting-telegraph shown there are two local circuits at eachinstrument. One,

leading from the positive pole (or it may be from either pole) of thesection battery, by wire 26 and 27, passes through the helices of thekey-magnet V and terminates in or passes through the contact-spring 14upon drum u, the other contact-spring 13 being connected to the otherpole of the battery by wire 28. Another circuit is formed through thetypewheel T by a connection, 15, from the positive pole of the batteryto the iron lever X, (which is insulated from the'typewheel frame,) andby another connection, 16, from the frame of the type-wheel to otherpole of battery.

The devices shown for printing are as follows: Upon the periphery of thetype-wheel T, which, as well as its frame, is of metal, are formed, inmetal, outlines of the several letters and characters required. A stripof chemi cally-prepared paper, shown at 17, lies along horizontallyabove said letters, resting upon them. When printing is to be done themetallic lever X (which is insulated from the frame) is by the action ofthe armature-lever L and hooked rod 24 brought down upon the top of thepaper, thereby closing a local circuit from the positive pole of thebattery-section through wire 15, ironplaten X, chemically-prepared paper17, type-wheel T, typewheel frame, and wire 16, to the negative pole ofthe battery. The paper is supported by roller 19 and held betweenrollers 19 and 20. A ratch and lever movement, 21, serves to rotate 20,propelling the paper a distance sufficient for one space or character ateach movement. The swinging hooked lever 22 is pulled down ward by eachupward movement of armature L, thereby imparting such desired movementto said roller and paper. At what may be called the unison stop-point ineach revolution the cam 23 pushes out the lower end of the hooked rod24, and this, by the agency of the conneoting'lever 25, retracts thehooked rod 22, so that the armature-lever L cannot affect either, andtherefore at such point the magnet may close without propelling thepaper or actuating the platen.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the downwardmovement of the armature L, except at unison, efiects the printing,while its upward movement, except also at unison, moves the paper,making it ready for the next impression. The form of the letters on faceor periphery of type-wheel must be such as to facilitate the passage ofthe current and the forming thereby upon the chemically-prepared paperof a distinct outline or surface-letter or character.

The addition of an inking-roller upon the face of the frame in suchposition that its periphery will work in contact with the edge of thetype wheel will convert the apparatus from a chemical-printing into amechanical-printing-telegraph.

If the error in clocks can be kept less at each revolution than thevalue of one tooth or (in the present illustration) one thirty-third ofthe circumference of the type-wheel, any number of machines can beworked in the same circuit. The apparatus will'constitute an excellentgold and stock printer.

While describin g this invention as primarily intended for telegraphicpurposes, I propose to use its principal parts, with slightmodifications, for the purposes of protective alarms, the battery beingdisposed in two connected sections, one at the point to be guarded andthe other at the instrument. The line-wires are so connected to thepole-changing springs that, excepting at the unison point where thearmatures are drawn down to release the wheels, the two sections ofbattery will balance each other, causing no current in the main wires;but if the line be short-circuited, cutting out one battery, the batteryat the instrument will berendered active, instantaneously throwing thedetent-leverL against the toothed wheel E; or, if the main line bebroken, the motion of the wheel will be arrested at unison and thereheld. In either case the stoppage of the wheel can, by the action of aloose fly-wheel, such as described in another application of mine ofeven date herewith, or by any suitable contrivance, be made to starteither a magnetic or a mechanical alarm.

The invention above described also admits of the employment of a systemof irregular pulsations, as explained in my other application, to whichreference is made.

Claims.

I claim as new and of my invention- 1. An automatic unison stop,arranged to operate substantially as herein set forth.

2. Unison stops, controlled by automatic-pole changers, substantially asherein set forth.

3. The toothed wheel T, having an interdental space and a detent, t, andemployed in combination with the detent-lever L and magnet M,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The circuit-breaking or reversing cylinders 1 2 3 4, constructed tooperate substantially as set forth.

5. The printing apparatus, consisting of a type-wheel, a platen, anelectromagnetic circuit, and the mechanical connections for actuatingthe platen and the paper'feeding devices, substantially as hereindescribed.

6. The key V, actuated by a magnet, W, substantially as and for thepurposes described.

7. A two-station printing or visual telegraph, with balancedbatteriesandindependent-power driven instruments automatically broughtto unison at each revolution of their type-wheels, and so constructed asto actuate the signaling and unison apparatus by means of a singlemagnet at each instrument.

W. B. GUERNSEY.

Witnesses:

OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, WALTER ALLEN.

